By Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, PYA A multi-institution student organization founded in 2012 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and committed to promoting STEAM-focused community outreach is planning a two-day event at the end of the month here in Knoxville. No doubt our readers

Please see our list of sponsors who have helped us bring STEAM activities to the Knoxville community. If you are interested in sponsoring STEAMcon, please contact us.

Engineering

Arts

Mathematics

The National non-profit Ask a Scientist Corporation, founded in 2014, is working to expand our local chapter at the University of Tennessee and within the local Tennessee community. The goal of our organization is to connect with the general public in a considerate, welcoming and informative manner, to inspire young students and the public to take part in science and to encourage a more inclusive scientific community. Additionally we advocate for science communication and outreach throughout the local community. Our largest endeavor yet is our first annual STEAMcon that will highlight and communicate a broad range of features related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The main goal of STEAMcon is to make STEAM topics relatable, immersive, engaging, and tangible to the public. STEAMcon will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center and it will be free and open to the public. Our goal in having this event be free for the public is to ensure that all people from any background can afford to come to this event and learn about the important role science and the arts play in all of our lives here in East Tennessee. Each vendor will have their own booth to display their products/information/material.

Muse Knoxville: Nuclear Science for Kids

The Muse is continuing the Science Connection Saturday series with Nuclear Science as the theme for October. This experience features hand-on opportunities for children to engage in Nuclear Science in fun and safe ways.

BOO! at the Zoo is a family-friendly event in which children ages preschool through elementary school can dress up and trick or treat alongside their favorite exotic animals at Zoo Knoxville. The dates are October 12-15, October 19-22, and October 26-29 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The fee is $9 per person, and children 4 years and under are free. Be sure to check out the science experiments and demonstrations with the Ask A Scientist at UTK members.

Earlier this summer in June, Ask A Scientist received a shoutout from the UC Global Food Initiative-funded student group CLEAR (Communication, Literacy, and Education in Agricultural Research) in UC Berkeley’s Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. A guest blog post from Tim Jeffers (University of California, Berkeley) on ASPB’s Plant Science Today wrote about the Berkeley Farmer’s Market and said that they were inspired by Ask A Scientist’s method of filling out a question card and receiving a thoughtful response. We are humbled to have an impact on other community outreach events held by different universities across the country. Go Science!

Recently at Ask A Scientist, our hardworking and involved team has been discovering new ways to spread science awareness and improve the organization.

We have elevated Guin Shaw to the Ask A Scientist board as our new Director of Development. Guin is an Energy Science and Engineering Ph.D. candidate and is currently researching materials for future fusion reactors. She was formerly an NCAA women’s varsity rower, but currently she is training for her first Ironman! She is also a strong advocate for STEAM communication and education. She recognizes that without good teachers and mentors throughout her life she wouldn’t be where she is today. This has inspired her to become a leader in STEAM field and to guide next generation.

Additionally, Jessica Velez, previously our National Outreach Coordinator, has been promoted to Director of Development. She will continue to be in charge of outreach coordination and network on behalf of Ask A Scientist. Her main focus is to develop our non-profit organization into a national community focused on local community outreach. She is very excited about her role and is looking forward to growing the Ask A Scientist organization.

Congratulations to these two women for their board member promotions! We appreciate your passion and devotion to the organization and we are excited for what the future holds for Ask A Scientist.